Quite a bit of new information from Valve & IGN(who has tested TF2). It will also clue in those of you who have never played Team Fortress before in the fundamental gameplay elements that make TFC so much fun.

Remember also, that when you purchase this online multiplayer game, you will also receive the award winning Half Life 2, both of the Half Life 2 singleplayer expansions(Episode 1 & Episode 2) as well as the new "puzzle-shooter" game that Valve has been working on called Portal. This could very well be the best game package that I have ever heard of. It is guranteed to be a huge success on the PC, but I have a feeling that it is going to also be extremely popular on the 360. Fans of fun shooters should not be disappointed.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011359703-1.jpg - The Demoman
Primary Weapon: Sticky Bomb Launcher
Secondary Weapon: Grenade Launcher
Melee Weapon: Bottle
Valve says: A versatile combat class packing an absurd amount of high explosives, the Demoman is great at holding a map's choke points. Whether he's shutting down an enemy route by laying sticky bombs along it, shelling an area with long distance grenade fire, or simply blowing up anything that blocks the team's way, the Demoman is the class of choice for anyone interested in making a lot of noise.

-If you can't aim and you love big explosions, the Demoman was made for you. In an assault on a checkpoint, the Demoman is best as a support member, launching grenades from long range. Thanks to some of the great physics in TF2, truly skilled players will learn to bounce their grenades off walls and ceilings in order to hit targets while remaining behind cover.

-The true effectiveness of the Demoman is in holding down areas. Sticky grenades can be laid out as thick as carpet around a base or checkpoint. Either the enemy will stumble into the glowing grenades or you can detonate manually. If you get creative, you can hide grenades in hard to spot places and give the opponent an explosive surprise.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011359219-1.jpg- The Engineer
Primary Weapon: Shotgun
Secondary Weapon: Pistol
Melee Weapon: Wrench
Other Weapon: Construction PDA
Valve says: The defensive backbone of any team, the Engineer builds useful devices such as sentry guns, health & ammo dispensers, and personal teleporters. Tactical placement of these devices and the ability to maintain them under fire are the keys to being a successful Engineer. If you're better at planning and thinking than fighting, you're a natural born Engineer.

-As an Engineer you must think tactically, placing a turret, teleporter, or ammo dispenser in the most advantageous positions. The building of each device can be sped up by hammering the construct repeatedly with your wrench. Multiple Engineers assembling turrets together can prove incredibly effective. Turrets can be upgraded multiple times, evolving from standard machinegun to rocket launcher. Every enemy killed by your turret counts towards your stats, so while the Engineer is not much use in direct combat, you still enjoy the statistical spoils of war.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011400172-1.jpg-The Heavy Weapons Guy
Primary Weapon: Minigun
Secondary Weapon: Shotgun
Melee Weapon: Fists
Valve says: The slowest, most powerful class, the Heavy carries a massive minigun capable of clearing roomfuls of enemies. He's vital on defense to deal with Scouts, who can easily avoid Soldiers and Demomen. If you're a player who wants to be in the thick of the action, but your aim is a little rusty, the Heavy is the perfect class for you.

-Pretty much the coolest-looking character in TF2, the Heavy is the bad *** with the BFG. He's slow, but is the perfect choice for storming an enemy stronghold. At close range, the Heavy's minigun shreds through enemies. Granted, the Heavy will have a tough time avoiding incoming attacks. But the Heavy also has the most health of any class, making him an awesome weapon against the opposition.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011401110-1.jpg-The Medic
Primary Weapon: Syringe Launcher
Secondary Weapon: Medi-Gun
Melee Weapon: Bonesaw
Valve says: The core support class, the Medic is invaluable on both offense and defense. When attached to an offensive squad, he's critical to keeping it alive inside the enemy base (while also boosting its offensive capability.) On defense, his ability to keep defenders healthy means they won't have to leave their posts. If you want to be loved by your entire team, or to indirectly kill a horde of enemies without firing a shot, then the Medic is just what the doctor ordered.

-To heal teammates, the Medic needs to shoot them. This fires a continuous stream of health at a locked-on teammate. As you heal teammates, a charge meter fills. Once it's topped off, the Medic can give temporary invulnerability to himself and a teammate.

-Generally, the Medic is best when teamed with the Heavy. The Medic can stand around the corner (the beam can bend slightly) and keep the Heavy healed as he lays down a stream of bullets at the enemy. Once charged, the Heavy becomes invulnerable, making him the most potent weapon in TF2. Being a partner in a killing spree is just about equal to doing the damage yourself. Consider the Medic Bonnie to the Heavy's Clyde.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011400406-1.jpg-The Pyro
Primary Weapon: Flamethrower
Secondary Weapon: Shotgun
Melee Weapon: Fire Axe
Valve says: The nastiest class to run into when turning a corner. The flamethrower produces a massive amount of damage over a short range, making the Pyro the most lethal close-quarter class there is. Pyros are often seen playing a defensive role near the front line, ambushing enemies as they enter tight spaces. On offense, they're terrific at harassing the enemy's defense, since it's hard to maintain a solid defensive line when you're on fire.

-The Pyro is not the easiest class to play right off the bat. More than likely, the first time you take control of the Pyro, you'll misjudge the distance of the flamethrower and get a face full of bullets instead. The flame has a very small reach. In fact, it's so short, it might be considered an extended melee attack. But when a Pyro gets in close, it's pretty much an instant kill. Even if you only get an opponent in the path of your flames for a second, they will catch fire and burn. If they don't get to some water quickly, they'll be (burnt) toast.

-The Pyro is the perfect class for sadistic gamers -- the kind who like to cackle every time they kill an opponent. Setting fire to the cartoony characters of Team Fortress 2 is one of the more satisfying experiences in Valve's new multiplayer title. But you have to smart about how you handle the Pyro, primarily due to the short range of his attacks.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011358766-1.jpg-The Scout
Primary Weapon: Scattergun
Secondary Weapon: Pistol
Melee Weapon: Aluminum Baseball Bat
Valve says: The fastest and lightest of all the classes, the Scout uses his speed to punch through enemy lines before opposing defenders can react. What he lacks in health and weaponry, he makes up for with his incredible speed and aerial maneuverability. If you'd like to sprint gracefully through enemy fire, look into the Scout.

-The Scout is absolutely the most ridiculous character in TF2. He moves as fast as a roadrunner and has the benefit of a multi-directional double-jump. Though the Scout has very little health, he's the toughest class to hit in the open. Anyone who masters the double jump (which allows a mid-air directional change) is certain to give fits to the opponent. The Heavy, who moves at the pace of a slug, will be particularly vexed by the speedy Scout.

-The Scout is the only class that should focus on melee attacks. Thanks to his speed, the Scout can quickly get behind enemies and crack them over the back of the head before they can turn. The Scout is particularly effective as an Infiltrator, running into the enemy base, dodging fire and causing mayhem. By that same token, the Scout can also be great for causing distractions. Use a Scout to draw the attention of enemies and have your Engineer sneak in and set up a turret while the opponent is occupied.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011359938-1.jpg-The Sniper
Primary Weapon: Sniper Rifle
Secondary Weapon: Submachine Gun
Melee Weapon: MacheteValve says: Nobody beats the Sniper at long-range combat. With a little time to find a perch and dig in, he can significantly slow an enemy advance. If knocking the helmet off a Soldier at 400 paces sounds fun, then the Sniper is the class for you.

-The Sniper's shot can be charged, so that a single shot (even if it misses the head) can prove lethal. The only trouble is that the fully-charged shot created a laser point visible to the enemy. It would seem this provides an unfair advantage to potential victims, since they will sometimes be warned of an impending snipe. In practice, however, the combat is so fast and furious in TF2 that a Sniper's targeting efforts aren't recognized until the bullet has already done its damage.

-The only challenge in playing a Sniper that we experienced is that some maps feature extensive interior areas. As the Sniper is only truly effective shooting into open areas, there are times when the class becomes ineffective. But more daring Snipers can switch to the submachine gun when the action moves indoors. At close range, the SMG can do some serious damage.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523011359453-1.jpg-The Soldier
Primary Weapon: Rocket Launcher
Secondary Weapon: Shotgun
Melee Weapon: Shovel
Valve says: The core of any offensive push, the Soldier comes armed with a devastating rocket launcher. Faster and slightly more fragile than the Heavy, the Soldier's a true all-arounder. From taking out Engineer sentry guns to using his rockets to launch himself into the air, the Soldier is useful in a wide variety of situations. If you're an old school deathmatcher, or just quick on your feet in the middle of combat, the Soldier's your man.

-The Soldier is the perfect choice for the player who likes the idea of the Heavy but wants more mobility. With a powerful rocket launcher, the Soldier is deadly on the front lines. And thanks to the rocket jump (which is inspiring to perform), the Soldier can find entry points into enemy bases that are often poorly defended. If an enemy Sniper is in a window popping headshots into your friends, get the Soldier airborne and he can quickly deal with the menace.

http://www.finheaven.com/images/imported/2007/05/halflife2orangebox20070523003809121-1.jpg-The Spy
Primary Weapon: Revolver
Secondary Weapon: Disguise Kit
Melee Weapon: Butterfly Knife
Other Weapon: Sapper
Valve says: The Spy excels at the black arts of infiltration and assassination. With the ability to disguise himself to look like an enemy, or even become fully invisible on command, the Spy creates havoc behind enemy lines. He's an enemy's worst nightmare -- a dangerous foe indistinguishable from a friend. If you prefer guile to brute force, the Spy is what you're looking for.

-The Spy's ultimate rouse is to fool an opposing Medic into healing him. Though you don't earn the powers or weapons of a class you're pretending to play, an opponents' medi-gun will still heal the Spy. You can even be turned invulnerable by the Medic. So if you play your role properly, you can trick a Medic into turning you invulnerable, then drop the disguise and gut everyone. When pulled off, it's a phenomenal sight.

-It should be noted that your disguised Spy will appear, in every way, to be working for the opponent. As a Spy, any shots fired will look like shots from your assumed role. And if you hit a friend, though you won't actually do damage, it will appear to the enemy that you have. You don't have to worry about fooling your real friends, though. To your allies, the Spy looks like his regular self, but with a cardboard cut-out mask of his disguised role. And all the while he continues to smoke his cigarette. Brilliant.

UltraDol-Fan

05-29-2007, 10:36 AM

nice, the spy sounds like fun

Phin-o-rama

05-29-2007, 11:04 AM

my new pc is all put together and will dominate this shiz

Timmy54

05-29-2007, 11:05 AM

sounds cool, when does it come out on 360?

Megatron

05-29-2007, 01:23 PM

nice, the spy sounds like fun Ibet you'll run into servers where everyone wants to be the spy. How much fun would an all spy game be?

Phinz420

05-29-2007, 01:59 PM

sounds cool, when does it come out on 360?

The same time as the PC. Which is not set in stone still I believe, but slated for around December.

Ibet you'll run into servers where everyone wants to be the spy. How much fun would an all spy game be?

Well, the way TFC worked was that the servers had set limits on how many could be certain classes. This way you wouldn't have a team full of snipers on long range maps or a team full of Heavy Weapons Guys during close quarters.

I played as the spy a lot in the old TFC, and the changes to the spy sounds like they are made to make the class easier to play for the average person. At the same time though, some of the changes are going to make for some hilarious gameplay. The first time that I trick an enemy medic into healing me full & giving me invulnerability, Im not sure if I'll be able to control my laughter and still shiv the medic.

Phin-o-rama

05-29-2007, 02:32 PM

playing a spy and popping fatties = fun

Phinz420

05-29-2007, 02:51 PM

playing a spy and popping fatties = fun

Spies who never use Feign Death ftl!

That was my favorite ability :D

Megatron

05-29-2007, 03:12 PM

The same time as the PC. Which is not set in stone still I believe, but slated for around December.

Well, the way TFC worked was that the servers had set limits on how many could be certain classes. This way you wouldn't have a team full of snipers on long range maps or a team full of Heavy Weapons Guys during close quarters.

I played as the spy a lot in the old TFC, and the changes to the spy sounds like they are made to make the class easier to play for the average person. At the same time though, some of the changes are going to make for some hilarious gameplay. The first time that I trick an enemy medic into healing me full & giving me invulnerability, Im not sure if I'll be able to control my laughter and still shiv the medic. Does the game have the players handle up above them? If it did you could concievably have your medics hang back until you've compiled the player list. Then set the spy up for a healing with your bone saw.:D

Phinz420

05-29-2007, 03:19 PM

Does the game have the players handle up above them? If it did you could concievably have your medics hang back until you've compiled the player list. Then set the spy up for a healing with your bone saw.:D

It will have the player name over their head, but they will take on the name of a player on the opposing team who is playing the same class as whatever they disguise themselves.

So yeah, you could easily set the spy up with your bonesaw(I cant wait to see that in game :lol:). As long as you pay close attention to your team's positions around you as well as their names. If you were to see 2 engineers with the same exact name, well you know something is fishy. Likewise if you were to notice a "team mate" that is running towards the direction of your flag/base.

Megatron

05-29-2007, 03:23 PM

It will have the player name over their head, but they will take on the name of a player on the opposing team who is playing the same class as whatever they disguise themselves.

So yeah, you could easily set the spy up with your bonesaw(I cant wait to see that in game :lol:). As long as you pay close attention to your team's positions around you as well as their names. If you were to see 2 engineers with the same exact name, well you know something is fishy. Likewise if you were to notice a "team mate" that is running towards the direction of your flag/base. I guess it would depend on the servers too. If friednly fire was off then you coule just blast anyone that came near first and then mop up after or just move along.